Legal and social support for refugees
We provide free, expert legal and social support to refugee families, helping them reunite and rebuild.
Every day, refugee families are kept apart by Europe’s hostile immigration polices, leaving children vulnerable to exploitation, violence, and destitution.
For ten years, Safe Passage International has been providing free, expert legal advice and using this frontline expertise to fight for lasting change. Our approach is holistic: we don’t just support refugees to reach safety and family, but also to settle and thrive in their new lives.
On this page: Our legal support - Our social support - Our crisis projects - Meet our clients - Latest newsLegal support for young people on the move
Our legal teams provide the specialist immigration advice that separated families desperately need:
Initial advice and signposting. We help child refugees and their families understand their immigration options. When we can't represent them directly, we connect them with others who can.
Family reunion casework. We guide separated families through complex reunion and visa processes, from initial application through evidence gathering, representations, and appeals. This is the heart of our work.
Strategic litigation. We use legal action to bring about lasting change, challenge unjust barriers to family reunion, and opening doors to safety for more refugees.
Capacity building. We share our expertise and deliver training for legal and child protection professionals to develop knowledge of family reunion procedures.
Social support that helps families thrive
Legal support is only truly effective if it is accompanied by long-term social support to help families meet their basic needs and truly thrive.
We help families prepare ahead of their reunion and are here when urgent situations arise – whether that’s homelessness, destitution, mental health crises, or abuse – always putting young people’s safety and wellbeing first.
Upon arrival, we support them with essential needs, such as securing housing, accessing healthcare or enrolling children in school. We stay with families months after their arrival, providing emotional support and connecting them with local support and opportunities that help them thrive in their new lives.
Our crisis projects
REUNIR (France)
Originally focused on supporting Afghans seeking family reunion in France, our REUNIR project now provides expert legal support to those fleeing multiple crises.
Gaza Project (UK)
We provide vital legal support to those escaping violence in Gaza who wish to reunite with loved ones in the UK.
Sudan Response Project (UK)
We provide specialised family reunion assistance for those impacted by the ongoing conflict, working closely with Sudanese communities in the UK.
Meet some of the families we’ve reunited
Arman’s journey
Arman was just 10 years-old when the Taliban came to power. In the chaos of the fall of Kabul, he lost track of his parents. He managed to flee to the UK with his aunt, but his mum, dad and young siblings were left behind. They were finally reunited this year.
Gloria and Dovis’ story
Political persecution in Congo left Gloria and her son separated for years. After she found his trace in Cyprus, she reached out to us to help them reunite. They’re now rebuilding their lives together, in safety.
Amira’s journey
Amira was studying in the UK when the situation in Gaza escalated dramatically. Her husband was killed, and she was unable to reach her young daughter, trapped in a warzone. She fought tirelessly to bring her to safety until finally, we secured the little girl’s evacuation.
Will you help us bring families together?
Our vital legal and social support for refugee families is only made possible by our generous supporters. A donation today will fund expert legal casework, psychosocial support, and campaigns to protect families’ right to be together.
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Fatima and Amira with their children after finally being reunited following long separations